Triple-circuit rocker or toggle switch



April 14, 1959 w s 1 I $882,357

TRIPLE-CIRCUIT ROCKER OR TOGGLE SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1956 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. WILLIAM SMITH BY I) W/ April 14, 1959 w. SMITH 2,882,357

ITRIPLEFCIRCUIT ROCKER 0R TOGGLEI SWITCH Filed July 10, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM SMITH BY BMW United States Patent TRIPLE-CIRCUIT ROCKER 0R TOGGLE SWITCH William Smith, Lynden, Wash, assignor of one-tenthfo Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc., Los Angeles, Cal1f., a corporation of California Application July 10, 1956, Serial No. 596,880

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-) This invention relates to electrical switches, and more particularly to a multiple position toggle-type selector switch for use in controlling a plurality of circuits and being adapted further with an on-off switch for controlling the current supplied to the selector switch.

Heretofore, in fioor lamps and other electrical equipment and appliances which involve a plurality of circuits, the devices are normally equipped with rotary type switches which sequentially connect the various circuits. These rotary switches are non-indicating, are operable in one direction only, and must be rotated through the series of contact combinations until the desired setting is reached.

Typical of this type of circuitry and switching method is the three intensity floor lamp in which the filaments of the lamp are energized singly and then together, and the same general arrangement of elements is found in any device having a low, medium and high position to tary type switch.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, it is especially annoying to be obliged to run through the intensity cycle of a floor lamp two or three times in order to find the intensity of light desired for the immediate purpose. Furthermore, it is generally conceded that the number of times a lamp is turned on and off is almost as important a factor in a lamp life as the number of hours of continuous use, this being particularly true with respect to fluorescent lamps.

My present invention has been made with the foregoing considerations in mind and will be seen to have a plurality of important objectives.

One important object of my invention is the provision of a switching device which is adapted with separate means for turning the current on and off and for selecting the circuitry to be used in advance.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of a switching device of the character described which is adapted with means by which the current may be turned on or off without effecting the positioning or setting of the circuit selector means.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is so adapted that one may select the circuitry to be used before supplying current to the lamp or appliance.

An additional important object of my invention is the provision of a switching device of the character described adapted to permit an operator to de-energize all of the circuits controlled thereby-and make a predetermined change in the circuitry before re-energizing the circuit.

In brief, the device of my invention includes a first switch being a single pole single throw toggle switch of novel mechanical design which directs line voltage current to a second switch which is also of the toggle type but is adapted to be firmly held in any of three different positions and is adapted with a plurality of contacts which permit the use of a plurality of different circuits or combinations thereof according to the applicational requirements.

The switches are mounted in combination in a conventional knock-out type switch box for home or industrial use, and the operating knobs of both switches are extended through a surface plate so that they may be operated independently, either before the other.

To facilitate the simultaneous operation of the two switches, an elongated thumb knob of unique design is pivotally attached to the end of the lever of the selector switch and slidably attached to the lever of the single pole switch, making it possible to operate either switch independently or both switches simultaneously.

Further objects of my invention will be readily recognized by persons familiar with the general art upon reading the following detailed description of my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the combination switch of my invention showing the relative arrangement of the single pole single throw and the multiple position selector switch;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the single throw toggle switch shown in Figure l, with the switch contacts in the closed position;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the base on which the switches are mounted, showing the arrangements of the connection points thereon;

Figure 4 is a frontal elevational view taken in section along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 44 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken from Figure 4 along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 6 is a frontal elevational view showing the switch with one circuit energized;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the contacts positioned to energize two circuits;

Figure 8 is a view of a cover plate for attachment to the switch box;

Figure 9 is a view showing an alternate arrangement in which a finger pressure slide member is used to operate both switches.

Fig. 10 is a view showing a diagrammatic representation of the switches mounted on a supporting frame.

Reference is again made to Figure 1 in which the numeral 10 designates the base on which components of the switch assembly including the single pole single throw switch 11 and the three position switch 12 are mounted.

The structural frame of the switch 11 includes a basal member 13 from which the upright supports 14 and 15 having apertures 16 and 17 in the upper ends thereof are fixedly extended. A U-shaped member 18 having its ends turned oppositely outwardly as at 19 and 20 better shown in Figure 2, is disposed downwardly between the parallel supports 14 and 15, with its ends 19 and 20 entered respectively in the apertures 16 and 17. A spanner contact 21 is fixedly attached to the frontal edge of the transverse section of the U-shaped member 18, and is adapted as seen in Figure 2 to engage the electrodes 22 and 23 when the switch is in the closed position.

A yoke member 24, having a handle portion 25 extended upwardly therefrom intermediate of the transverse portion 28 thereof, is adapted to pivot at its downwardly disposed ends as seen at 26 in the basal portion 13, and a tension spring 27 is disposed between the center of the transverse portion 28 of the yoke member 24 and the transverse portion of the downwardly disposed U-shaped member 18.

A stop member 29, outwardly extended from the support 14, serves to arrest the forward motion of the yoke 24, and a similar stop, positioned at the back of the opposite support 15 and not visible in the figures, serves to arrest the backward movement of the yoke 24. When positioned against either of the stop members, such as 29, the yoke is sufficiently over center relative to its basal pivot points such as 26, that the spring tension of the spring 27 causes the frame 18 to move to the said side of center as that on which the yoke 24 is disposed, thus moving the spanner contact 21 into or out of juxtaposition with the electrodes 22 and '23.

A handle conformed of some insulating material is disposed about the upright extension 25 as indicated in phantom at 29 in Figure 1.

As is clearly shown in Figure 1, the electrode 22 forms a part of a connecting lug 30 which is attached to the base It) and has connection means as at 31 for attaching one side of the current supply line 32. The second contact 23, as can best be seen in Figure 4, is fixedly attached to a portion of the channellar basal frame 33 of the three position' switch 12, and the current carried through this contact is therefore communicated through the channellar member 33 to the upwardly extended supporting bracket 34 "and to the rocker contact member 35 which is pivotally supported thereon at points 36 and 37 as can be seen in Figures 1 and 4.

Reference is again made to the channellar member 33 in Figure 1, and it should be made clear at this point that the channellar member 33 is supported by basal members 38 and 39 as seen in Figure l and is insulated by the insulating strips 40 and 41 to avoid contact with the current carrying hooked electrodes 42 and 43 which are shown in Figures 1, 4, 6 and 7. The electrodes 42 and 43 are disposed in a longitudinal slot 44 in the basal channel 33 which is clearly shown in Figure 5.

As is also indicated in Figures 1 and 5, the rocker contact 35 is actually a continuous rectangular band of round rod, open in the center. A rigid arm member 45 is fixedly disposed upwardly from one side of the rocker contactor 35 and is engaged by one end of the tension spring 46. On the opposite side of the rectangular conta'ctor 35, a support bracket 47 is fixedly attached to and disposed upwardly from the channellar member 33 and provides support for a lever member 48 which is generally vertically disposed and pivotally attached to the support 47 as seen at 49, and is bent inwardly as indicated at '50, best seen in Figure 5, parallel to the mounting base 10. The downwardly disposed end of the spring 46 is attached to the transverse portion 50 of the lever member '48.

A separate contact assembly, most clearly shown in Figure 1 is attached to the mounting base adjacent the three position switch 12, and includes an angle bracket 51 having a central slot 52 in the vertical side thereof, and being bent over angularly at its top as seen at 53 to hold thereunder a compression spring 54-. A contact arm 55, having an angularly offset portion 56 and a flat terminal portion 57, is provided with a grooved extension 58 which is interfitted Within the slot 52 in the vertical side of the angle bracket 51 between the angular top 53 thereof and the coil spring 54 thereunder, thus holding the arm 55 extended in a generally horizontal plane with its offset portion 56 normally under and adjacent to the rocker contactor 35.

The mechanical operation of this switch can bereadily understood by a comparison of the Figures 4, 6 and 7. In Figure 4 in which the rocker contactor 35 is positioned parallel to the basal member 33, the contactor 35 is touching the contact portion 56 of the arm 55 terminating in the basal member 51. However, in Figure 6 the handle member 48 has been moved to the right and the contactor 35 is consequently disposed downwardly at its left side under tension of the spring 46 reactive between the points 50 and 59, the latter being the upper end of the upwardly extended arm 45, thereby depressing the rocker contactor 35 at the left'side and'making contact with the electrode 42.

However, in Figure 7 "the lever member 48 has been moved to the left and the reverse is seen to be true wherein the tension between the lever arm 50 and the end 59 of the support 45 has caused the rocker contactor 35 to drop on the right side, -the'reby 'making contact not only with 4 the arm 56 of the contact 51, but also the electrode 43, and thus completing two circuits.

Reference is now made to the wiring diagram portion of Figure 4 in which one of the electrical lead wires 60 is seen to be extended by the lead 32-0, which corresponds to the lead wire 32 in Figure 1, and communicates With the electrode 22 of the single pole switch 11 which, when the switch is closed, transmits current to the electrode 23 and thence, as previously explained, through the basal member 38 into the channellar section 33 and'therefrom through the support member 34 and its pivot points 36 and 37 to the rocker contactor 35.

As previously explained, the rocker contactor '35 moves downwardly at its left end to contact the electrode 42 or at its opposite end to contact the electrode 43. These electrodes, as can be seen in Figure 3 showing the undersurface of the base 10, are banded together by the band 62 and are provided with a common lead 62-6 which is seen in the diagram to lead to the circuit represented by a lamp filament symbol and designated by the numeral 63. The contactor 56 is seen to have a lead 56-0 direct ing current to the second circuit in which a plurality of elements are designated as 64-a and -64-b through which the current communicates to the other current supply lead 61.

Thus when contactor '35 engages either of the elec trodes 42 or-43, the circuit 63 is energized, and when the contactor 35 is horizontal it engages the electrode 56, energizing the second circuit only, and when it is depressed at the right to contact the electrode 43, both of the circuits '63 and 64-a64-b are energized.

In Figure 8 a switch plate suitable for use'with the switch of my invention is seen to include conventionally spaced mounting screws 65 and 66, the switch knobs 67 and 68 mounted on the ends of the switch levers '25 and 48 which are extended through the respectively transverse and vertical apertures 69 and 70. Also included are the indicia On-Ofi, and Low-Medium-High to indicate the position in which the switch levers are disposed.

In Figure 9 a finger operated single slide member shown disposed on the surface plate of a switch of my invention, is indicated generally by the numeral 73, and is seen'to have a slot 71 in the underside of its upper end in which an enlarged end of the lever member 25 is adapted to slide longitudinally. Similarly, the lever member 48 of the three position switch 12 is pivotally attached inwardly of an aperture 72'di'sposed in the undersur'face of the slide 73. Thus, with the end of the lever 25 sliding in the slot 71, it is possible to move the slide73 upwardly and downwardly to move the switch lever 48. Also, since the slide 73 is pivotally attached to the end of the lever 48, it is possible to move the upper end of the slide 73 laterally there-by moving the lever member 25 to either side as desired.

The cover plate 74 is also seen to carry On-Olf indicia and indications for high, low, and medium positions which align with an arrow 75 on the adjacent side of the slide 73. Conventional screw'fas't'eners for attaching the cover plate to the knock outbox are also indicated at'76 and 77.

The wall mounted'switch provided with a'plate as shown in Figure 9 and wired as shown in Figure 4 would cons'titu'te convenient and suitable control means for two circuits of a lighting fixture in which, for instance, the circuits included a different number of lamps, or for controlling the overhead lighting fixture in a room with one circuit and a plurality of electrical outlets adjacentthe floor with the other'circuit.

Figure 10'shows in greatly reduced scale'the complete structural frame by'means of which the switch assembly is mounted in a conventional switch box, and includes sections of the frame which were not shown 'in previous figures in order to simplify the views.

In Figure 10 the base 10 is seen to have upward exten sion's 78 and 79 from-each end thereof which are 'bent oppositely outwardly to provide mounting surfaces 80 and 81 aligning in a plane substantially parallel to the base 10. The brackets 80 and 81 are respectively apertured as at 82 and 83, the latter being conventionally spaced to receive screw fasteners interfitting in the mounting flanges of a standard switch box. A second pair of holes, seen at 84 and 85 are provided to permit the passage therethrough of fasteners for a surface plate such as those shown in Figures 8 and 9. As can be seen in Figure 10, the switch levers 25 and 48 extend substantially above the plane in which the mounting brackets 80 and 81 are aligned.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such, properly within the basic spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if specifically described, illustrated and claimed herein.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modified substantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

1. Switch means for controlling a plurality of electrical circuits, comprising: a base plate adapted to fit within a knock-out type switch box and having bracket means removably attachable to said box for securing said base therein; a toggle action selector switch mounted on said base and having a first contact adjacent a first operative end thereof, a second contact adjacent a second operative end thereof, a third contact positioned between said first and second contacts, and a toggle-action-operated oscillatable electrically conductive rocker switch arm mounted for rocking motion between a first extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said first contact, an intermediate position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said third contact, and a second extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with both said second contact and said third contact, said rocker switch arm being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a common power supply lead, said first and second contacts being provided with a common electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a first electrical circuit portion, said third contact being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a second electrical circuit portion, whereby said common power supply lead may be selectively electrically connected to either said first or second electrical circuit portions singly or to both of said first and second electrical circuit portions in parallel simultaneously, said selector switch having an operating lever upwardly extended therefrom; a cover plate being removably attachable over the opening of said switch box, and having an elongated aperture therethrough adapted to receive said switch lever.

2. Switch means for controlling a plurality of electrical circuits, comprising: a base plate adapted to fit within a knock-out type switch box and having bracket means removably attachable to said box for securing said base therein; a toggle action selector switch mounted on said base and having a first contact adjacent a first operative end thereof, a second contact adjacent a second operative end thereof, a third contact positioned between said first and second contacts, and a toggle-action-operated oscillatable electrically conductive rocker switch arm mounted for rocking motion between a first extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said first contact, an intermediate position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said third contact, and a second extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with both said second contact and said third contact, said rocker switch arm being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a common power supply lead, said first and second contacts being provided with a common electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a first electrical circuit portion, said third contact being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a second electrical circuit portion, whereby said common power supply lead may be selectively electrically connected to either said first or second electrical circuit portions singly or to both of said first and second electrical circuit portions in parallel simultaneously, said selector switch having an operating lever upwardly extended therefrom adapted to move vertically; a cover plate being removably attachable over the opening of said switch box, and having an elongated aperture therethrough adapted to receive said switch lever movably therein.

3. An electrical switch assembly, comprising: a base plate adapted to fit within a knock-out type switch box; a toggle action selector switch mounted on said base and having a first contact adjacent a first operative end thereof, a second contact adjacent a second operative end thereof, a third contact positioned between said first and second contacts, and a toggle-action-operated oscillatable electrically conductive rocker switch arm mounted for rocking motion between a first extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said first contact, an intermediate position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said third contact, and a second extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with both said second contact and said third contact, said rocker switch arm being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a common power supply lead, said first and second contacts being provided with a common electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a first electrical circuit portion, said third contact being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a second electrical circuit portion, whereby said common power supply lead may be selectively electrically connected to either said first or second electrical circuit portions singly or to both of said first and second electrical circuit portions in parallel simultaneously; said switch having an operating lever extended upwardly therefrom, said operating lever being adapted to move vertically, a cover plate being removably attachable over the opening of said switch box, said cover plate having an elongated aperture therein adapted to receive said switch lever movably therein, and having indicia thereon to indicate the positioning of said lever of said switch relative to the contacts thereof.

4. An electrical switch assembly, comprising; a base plate adapted to fit within a knock-out type switch box; a toggle switch mounted on said base and having single pole single throw contacts; a toggle action selector switch mounted on said base and having a first contact adjacent a first operative end thereof, a second contact adjacent a second operative end thereof, a third contact positioned between said first and second contacts, and a toggle-actionoperated oscillatable electrically conductive rocker switch arm mounted for rocking motion between a first extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said first contact, an intermediate position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with said third contact, and a second extreme position with said rocker switch arm in electrical engagement with both said second contact and said third contact, said rocker switch arm being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a common power supply lead, said first and second contacts being provided with a common electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a first electrical circuit portion, said third contact being provided with an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to a second electrical circuit portion, whereby said common power '2 supply lead may be selectively electrically connected to either said first or second electrical circuit portions singly or to both of said first and second electrical circuit portions inparallel simultaneously; said switches having operating levers extended upwardly therefrom, one of said operating levers being adapted to move vertically, the other of said levers being adapted to move horizontally; a cover plate being removably attachable over the opening of said switch box, said cover plate having elongated apertures therein adapted to said switch levers movably therein, and having indicia thereon to indicate the positioning of said levers of said switches relative to the contacts thereof, and handle means consisting of; a single generally flat, elongated, slide membenhavingaindenture means on the underside thereof pivotally receiving the end "of said 15 1,96 ,56

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 528,615 Shaw Nov. 6, 1894 1,912,623 Douglas June 6, 1933 1,951,209 Rickard Mar. 13, 1934 Douglas June 26, 1934 

